


To Be A Warlock in Camelot

by Onehelluvapilot



Series: Tumblr prompt fics [51]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Merlin Needs a Hug (Merlin), Protective Lancelot (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:02:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28318665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: Merlin sees another sorcerer executed
Relationships: Lancelot & Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Tumblr prompt fics [51]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922554
Comments: 4
Kudos: 57





	To Be A Warlock in Camelot

Merlin managed to hold it together until he got back to his own room, where he promptly broke down in tears before the door was even closed behind him. He'd seen so many people executed just for the crime of having magic, but it never got any easier. And as much as he thought the druids and healers and little witches should be mourned for their own sake, at least half his tears were of fear for himself and what would happen if he was ever found out. He wasn't afraid to die, a necessary mindset since he risked death on a daily basis, but he didn't want to burn.

There was a knock on the door and instantly he went rigid. Gaius was out on his rounds delivering medicine, which meant that it was probably Arthur there. In his haste to get away before his inevitable breakdown, the servant must've forgotten something important and now the prince had come to get him to finish it. Normally that wouldn't be a huge problem, as he would probably just make him complete the missed work and maybe add a few extra chores and the worst that would happen would be that he would miss some sleep, but now he had no way to explain why he was crying without getting in trouble. Sorcerers were supposed to be evil; no one was supposed to mourn them. A servant in the royal household could be punished for doing so, if not even have it lead to an investigation about criminal connections

"Merlin?" A familiar voice that wasn't Arthur's called. "Can I come in?" He quickly got up to open the door for Lancelot. The knight stepped inside and closed the door behind him, eyes full of concern.

"I thought you were Arthur," Merlin sobbed. It was a little muffled as he raised his hands to cover his face.

"No, it's just me," Lancelot reassured him as he pulled the warlock into a hug. "I won't hurt you. It's okay Merls. You're safe here." He held him as he sobbed, rocking back and forth gently to soothe him. He'd known that his friend would be badly affected by the execution that had happened earlier in the day and had rushed over to his room as soon as training had ended. Merlin leaned into him, squeezing so tight it almost hurt. "It's okay. I've got you. No one is going to hurt you while I'm here, okay? Not Uther, not Arthur.  _ Nobody _ ." That seemed to calm him slightly, as he dipped his head to nestle it against the crook of Lancelot's shoulder. The hug loosened slightly, becoming a little less desperately fierce, a little less terrified and a little more just sad. The knight held his friend until his tears petered out almost an hour later: not because he was no longer upset, but simply that he was too dehydrated and exhausted, both physically and emotionally, to continue crying. Then he tucked Merlin into bed and fetched him some dinner and a little wine, and sat up with him for much of the night before crawling into bed behind him when the young warlock finally drifted off to sleep.


End file.
